Hartlepool students' big success as places at Oxford and Cambridge are offered

Dyke House Sports and Technology College, based on Mapleton Road, Hartlepool, opened its sixth form in 2014.

It is now celebrating one of its biggest successes yet, with one student having been offered a place at Oxford University to study chemistry, and one having an offer from Cambridge University to read natural sciences.

Firm offers have also been received by students from Liverpool, Manchester, Portsmouth, King’s College London, Newcastle, Durham and other red-brick universities, subject to satisfactory results.

Dyke House’s executive principal, Andrew Jordon, said: “This is the first time in the short history of our sixth form that we have been successful with the Oxbridge process.

“I believe the success of our students can also be attributed to the many aspiration-raising activities in which they have participated for the last seven years, such as our Brilliant Club and ‘aspirations programme’, both of which are instrumental in creating pathways to red brick universities and encouraging students to see beyond Hartlepool.

“In terms of extending our provision at sixth form, we wish to work collaboratively with existing local providers to provide greater choice.”

The school has also been given permission by the Education Funding Agency to consult on widening its provision for the 2018-19 academic year.

That would allow students from other institutions to join the sixth form.